U is for Understanding

Anxious feelings are a normal reaction to a situation where a person feels under pressure. Anxiety is more than just feeling stressed or worried. For a person experiencing anxiety, these feelings cannot be brought under control easily. Mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression, are often not discussed openly because of fear of stigma. Unlike physical illnesses that have obvious symptoms that are observed easily; symptoms of mental health conditions may remain unrecognised and misunderstood. Negative views about mental health are often due to misunderstandings, misconceptions or lack of knowledge about the condition. You can help someone suffering from anxiety by showing understanding. Familiarise yourself with the signs and symptoms and be there for them. Listen. Don’t tell them to “snap out of it” or “toughen up”. What they are experiencing is very real and often terrifying.

Be there for your friend
or family member. Don’t judge.
Love and understand.

By Sarah ©2018

Image credit Pixabay

Prompt: A-Z Challenge, 24 April 2018 – U

Advertisements

With Me

My heart aches when I remember you.
Your last day so happy and free.
It was selfish of me to
keep you so long. I knew
it was time to leave.
I said goodbye
but always,
you’re with
me.

By Sarah ©2018

Prompt: Olivante Poetry, #NaPoWriMo 2018 – Image 23

Heart Shaped Dog

My beautiful boy Archie must know he is loved and adored. It’s imprinted in his fur/markings!

Prompt: Dutch Goes The Photo, Tuesday Photo Challenge, Week 97 – Shape

Lassoed

Demanding the moon,
he lassoed it just for her.
Still, she wanted more.

So it kept him company,
lighting his heart, ’til next time.

By Sarah ©2018

Prompt: Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie, Photo Challenge #200

Seduced

Allure…
Perturbed, confused.
Glancing. Gazing. Gaping.
Flittering heartbeats, we converge.
Seduced.

By Sarah ©2017

Prompt: Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie, Saturday Mix – Same Same But Different, 2 December 2017, Synonyms used for the following words: meet – converge, look – glance, gape, gaze, annoy – perturbed, draw – allure, seduce, fly – flit

Light Hearted

The bar was dark and dingy and she wondered for the hundredth time why she was here – the place hardly looked full of promising suitors.

But, she had chosen the venue for a reason and with an air of trepidation and excitement she flipped the switch and trialled her new matchmaking strategy.

She looked around nervously, and met the eye of a nice looking man who gave her a mischievous smile; flipped another switch and started to walk across the room towards her…

By Sarah ©2017

Prompt: Only 100 Words, Three Line Tales – Week 89

Echo

In the beginning my heart was brave.
She asked “Is there anyone out there who will
love me ’til the end?”

An echo replied, “I will love you for a little while,
But I cannot promise eternity.”

Eventually, when my heart was cleaved in two.
She asked, “Will anyone love me,
when I am so  broken?”

The echo replied, “Nay.”

My heart realised that first,
she must love herself.
She put out the call, one last time.
“Is there anyone who will love me,
Just as I am?”

This time, the echo,
Was an echo of her own words.
At last! My heart had found you.

And we both realised,
We had been looking
For each other all along.

By Sarah ©2017

Dedicated to my husband Darrell, on this, our fourth wedding anniversary.

Prompt: Sammi Cox, A Month Of Mini Writing Challenges, Day 16. Task: Write a poem on the theme of “echo”. Any length; and also, Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie, Saturday Mix, Opposing Forces – 16 September 2017

Seventy-Five Years

Image credit By Sarah ©2017

Holding his lady.
Married seventy-five years.
On deathbed he lies,
vows honored until the end.
A portrait of love, endures.

By Sarah ©2017

Author’s note:  This piece is dedicated to my nanna, 95 years old, and my grandfather “Bill” who passed away in June 2015. They had a truly remarkable and inspiring love; married more than 75 years! I can’t even imagine the bond they shared. Nanna claims he still visits her every night in her dreams, asking her when she will join him 💜💙💚

Prompt: Ramblings Of A Writer, Weekly Tanka Prompt Challenge, Week 59 – portrait and lady

Fealty

Image credit By Sarah ©2017

There’s safety within
the fealty of the pack.
The alpha dog rests.

By Sarah ©2017

Prompt: The Syllabub Sea, Haiga Heaven, Challenge 35 – fealty

Love Breaks My Bones

I lay on the feathery bed, impatient; waiting; wanting. My body is swooning at the mere thought of you. I glance at the clock and wince with longing. It feels an age until you will be home. Time seems to go slower when you’re not around, and speed up in keeping with my heartbeat, when you are. I ache for you to be one with my skin. To feel what I feel, to know what I know, to dream what I dream for –  being so close as if we are one whole, complete only when together. We are a formidable team – loyal; strong; indestructible; cherished. You finally arrive home, and as I crush you into me, you whisper, “Love breaks my bones and I laugh”.

this flowering love
with laughter sees our flaws as
petals not yet thorns

By Sarah ©2017

Prompt: Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie, Saturday’s Hunt-01 July 2017, and also, Sunday Writing Prompt – July 2, 2017, Love Flowers

Furry Friends

If only they could talk. Their eyes can tell us something, but not everything.

These are our fur babies (and amongst my best friends) Bella and Archie 💜🐶💚

Prompt: Daily Post Photo Challenge, Task: Friend. Share an image of a friend.